The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-04-16
VULGAR ROWDIES.
A Glass of wretches who Infest the street1
of Every city and Town.

A Glass of wretches who Infest the streetl
OF Every City and Town.
II is generally conceded that the abo-
lition of that venerable institution, the
pillory, to say nothing of the whipping
post, was in its time wise and humane
measure. To put man or woman,
who had been guilty only of trivial
crime, up into frame before n mob,
there to be pelted with eggs or other
wise insulted. was a most intolerablo
and inhuman punishment.
Yet really, when we come to read our
police reports of the present day, we,
begin to think the best of rules may
have its exceptions, and that possibly
the pillory itself might almost be re-
vived to advantage, since nothing else
seems to check some of the outrages
which 30 on in our large cities. Be 1t
borne in mind that in the days of our
ancestors no such vice rs rowdyism. and
no such wretches as rowdies or "bum-
mers" were known. Search through
Hogarth and you will find no creature
| so vile, so repulsive rs a regular hood
lum being which the law would seem
excusable in furnishing in any way or
in crushing out of existence almost
without much formula.
| Take one of them rs he stands mt his
corner, vilainous, disappearing, OBJ
scene, murderous beast rs he is with
out an ambitious idea above a fight,
without an excrtion Of intellect above
| defying the law in some violent or
sneaking manner. "I kin maui you,"
is his only reply to an argument, the
reply which every animal makes after
its manner to all which displeases it.
Every day or two we read how n
being of this description, a mere social
Yahoo, amused himself in Il bar-room
by assaulting the tavern keeper. by
stabbing and shooting and throwing
decanters. Anon, II party of them,
seldom single one, assault some re-
spectacle citizen, "just for fun" The
last century had its Mahocs among the
dissipated aristocracy, but it had no
generally spread element of rowdyism
among boys and young men, who gave
themselves up to an unutterably de-
|
Of intolerable and infamous insult and
outrage.
There is another and higher class of
rowdy than this, to whom the attention
of the police should be far more strictly
turned than it has been, and for whom
pillorying would not be by any means
too good. We refer to Il class of dissi-
pated, hashy idlers, fast men. who
lounge ut the mouths of drinking sa-
looms, stopping the sidewalks. or who
walk about, staring with all the inso-
lence peculiar to vulgarity and ignor-
ance at passers. and particularly at
ladies. Some of them are gamblers.
some gamblers victims, some the
hangers-on of low places of amuse-
ment, and few young men not with
out means, but of incurable debased
tastes. They are all Il part of the great
rowdy family, all live in coarse de-
bauchery, and are all intolcrable nuis-
ances.
1t would be well if rowdyism, or the
leading riotous life offensive to order
and decency, could be established N a
crime and punished as suck. Very
little is done towards rendering it re-
voting. or towards stigmatizing it as
such. OF late years its characteristics
have, however, been manifested sc
frequently in men occupying high sta
ton that we fancy there may be some
reason for this. So long as men of
! education can be found half taking a
silly, national pride in being regarded
as bowie-knifing, tire-eating characters.
the rowdy will have plenty of social
excuse.-Boston Budget.